


on a cliff’s edge

by saiditallbefore



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: AU - Laura Barton is Hawkeye, Alternate Universe, F/F, First Meetings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2020-04-12 01:43:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19122058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saiditallbefore/pseuds/saiditallbefore
Summary: The figure moves closer, into the dim light that streams through the broken windows.  It illuminates the face of the mysterious Hawkeye, and Natasha is startled to see another woman looking back at her.And her arrow is pointed straight at Natasha.In which the Black Widow meets Hawkeye, comes in from the cold, and falls in love.





	on a cliff’s edge

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lionessvalenti](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lionessvalenti/gifts).



When the arrow goes flying past her head, close enough that she can feel the air rushing past her cheek, Natasha knows it’s a warning.

More than that, she knows who has come for her. The only person in their profession who uses a bow and arrows— who is skilled enough to use them without it becoming a handicap— is Hawkeye.

Natasha raises her hands in the air, keeping her eyes trained in the direction the arrow came from. Her skills are strictly close-range; she’ll need Hawkeye to drop his guard in order to overpower him.

A figure jumps down from the shadowy upper level. Natasha had thought she’d secured this abandoned warehouse before she brought her prisoner here to interrogate, but apparently Hawkeye is better than her usual pursuers.

The figure moves closer, into the dim light that streams through the broken windows. It illuminates the face of the mysterious Hawkeye, and Natasha is startled to see another woman looking back at her. Then she’s annoyed at herself for being startled.

Still, if Natasha had ever had a mental picture of Hawkeye, it would not have matched this woman. She was Natasha’s height, with long, brown hair pulled back into a tight bun. She was wearing tactical gear— a far cry from Natasha’s own outfit, which had been carefully picked to catch her target’s attention.

And her arrow is pointed straight at Natasha.

Natasha waits for it to be released— wonders if she has enough time, enough room, to dodge. She’s never tested her skills against a bow and arrow before. It would be exciting if it weren’t so likely to end with her death.

But Hawkeye does not fire. Natasha is afraid to move, afraid to breathe, afraid that any movement will appear as a threat.

And then, Hawkeye speaks. Her accent is American, of course, with the kind of slight accent Natasha assumed all agents had trained out of them. “You’ve gotten sloppy.”

Natasha raises her eyebrows. “Have I?”

“You used to be a ghost,” Hawkeye says. “But we knew you were going to be here.”

Natasha cocks her head, conceding the point. “So you’re here to put me down?” She allows herself a small, mocking smile.

“That’s what SHIELD wants,” Hawkeye says. “They think you’re dangerous.”

Natasha laughs. “I _am_ dangerous.”

Hawkeye smiles. “So am I.” She lowers her bow. “And I think you’re tired. Tired of running. Tired of hiding. And maybe you’d like a chance to work for the good guys for once.”

Natasha blinks in disbelief. This is not a possibility that has ever occurred to her. That an enemy agent would try to appeal to her humanity, rather than kill her or have her thrown in some dark hole for whatever remains of her life—

“And SHIELD would allow this?” Her disbelief colors her voice.

“I’ll convince them.” 

It’s not an answer, but something about the determination in Hawkeye’s eye makes Natasha want to trust her.

Maybe this is nothing but a trap. But if it’s not…

Natasha lowers her hands. “Alright,” she says.

“Cool,” Hawkeye says. She slings her bow across her back and holds out a hand. “I’m Laura.”

Natasha is astonished by this casual show of trust. Some kind of trick or test? No, Hawkeye— _Laura_ — doesn’t seem the type. She shakes Laura’s hand and says, “Natasha.”

It feels like she’s passed some sort of test, but not the kind she was prepared for. Then Laura glances at the man Natasha has knocked out and tied up on the warehouse floor.

“So,” she says, “What are we gonna do about that guy?”

* * *

“What are you doing for Christmas?” Laura asks.

Natasha gives her a flat look, the kind that terrifies the other SHIELD agents. She’s only been here six months; it will take more for them to grow used to her— if they ever do. 

But Laura isn’t afraid. Instead, she swats Natasha on the arm. “Come on. At least tell me you have plans!”

“We need to be reachable in case Fury calls us in for a mission,” Natasha replies. She knows it’s not an answer, let alone the answer Laura is looking for, but it’s the best excuse she can think of.

“Oh my god, I knew you didn’t have any plans. You’re coming with me, okay?” Laura smiles warmly, and Natasha finds herself agreeing.

Natasha feels off-balance whenever Laura talks to her. She’s spent her whole life manipulating, convincing them to do what she wants. It’s a conscious action, something she was trained to do. But Laura isn’t manipulating Natasha— or if she is, she’s doing it incredibly badly. Yet, Natasha can’t help but find herself wanting to do whatever Laura asks.

It’s a weakness, easily exploitable. Even if Laura doesn’t spot it— and she’s a trained, talented agent, no matter how she conducts herself otherwise— _someone_ will.

They arrive in Iowa three days before Christmas. They fly in like civilians, and are picked up at the airport by Laura’s grandparents, an elderly couple laboring under the impression that Laura is a realtor. They hug Natasha like a long-lost relative the moment Laura introduces her— “one of my coworkers,” she says— and fuss over whether she’s been eating enough and squeeze her into the cab of their ancient pickup truck.

Natasha doesn’t want to be charmed. These people don’t know who she really is or what she’s done. 

But Laura does, and she’s brought Natasha along into her cozy little world. 

The snow starts to fall just as they come into sight of the shabby old farmhouse that Laura’s grandparents raised her in. Natasha had thought she’d had enough of snow to last a lifetime, but she watches the snowflakes stick in Laura’s hair as they carry their bags into the house and thinks that maybe she could get used to this.

* * *

Natasha storms through the helicarrier, determined to intercept Laura before anyone else does. Whatever Loki’s done to her, Natasha will find out how to reverse it. 

She doesn’t let herself think about the possibility of failure. Laura _cannot_ be compromised.

Part of her knows that this kind of thinking is childish. No one is too good, or too strong, or too… anything to be broken. And Laura is no innocent; she’s spent her entire adult life killing people for a living.

But Laura makes Nat watch terrible shows about home renovations with her, even though Natasha makes fun of them the whole time. She’s terrible at cooking anything except pancakes and she loves hustling assholes at darts in dive bars and when she laughs she gets a little crinkle on her nose and—

—And Natasha is in love with her. Love may be for children, like her handlers told her and like she told Loki, but she has never made a habit of lying to _herself_. 

She meets Laura on the catwalk. Laura’s eyes are glowing an unnatural blue, and it infuriates Natasha. 

Their fight is brutal. Laura— but not Laura, not really, not with Loki controlling her— has an advantage; she’s in this fight to kill. And though she hides it better than Natasha, Laura is a very effective killer.

When a blow to the head causes Laura to stumble and say, “‘Tasha?” in a confused tone, Natasha knows how to knock the brainwashing loose. She steels herself, then punches Laura in the head. 

Laura collapses to the floor, out cold. Natasha carries her to a nearby room and straps her down, just in case.

Then she waits to see if it’s really Laura that wakes up.

* * *

Natasha has looked death in the eye more times than she would like to count. But there is something different about fending off an alien invasion led by a Norse god with mind-control powers; even by her standards, that’s pretty weird.

That’s her excuse, anyway, for what happens next. 

Loki is unconscious, and the aliens are dead, and Stark Tower— and most of the surrounding area— is a wreck, but they’re alive, the Avengers are all alive, _Laura_ is alive. 

It is that thought that propels Natasha forward, and makes her throw her arms around Laura, kissing her soundly. She’s dirty and sweaty and she’s going to be in pain as soon as the adrenaline wears off, but the same goes for Laura. 

And maybe it’s the situation, or the adrenaline, but Laura is kissing her back, arms winding around Natasha’s back. Natasha pulls back, drinking in Laura’s face. Her hair is falling out of its bun and there’s a cut on her cheek, but she’s smiling softly at Natasha.

Laura presses a hand to Natasha’s face. “We made it.”

“This time.” But Natasha still takes Laura’s hand in hers, allowing the worries of future alien invasions to subside for a moment.

Laura just presses a light kiss to Natasha’s jawline. “Later.” She says it like a promise, and Natasha intends to make her keep it.


End file.
